Report Abuse

good place for a breakfast PHO

4 Posted on 01 / 16 / 2013

Dinh Y is a super reliable vego restaurant opposite the food market at the west end of Pham ngu lao. They do a daily breakfast noodle soup special for 30.000 (eg pho/hu tieu etc), most of the meals are around this price. The Banh Mi are amazing, though they seem to run out very quickly. The staff are a little...odd. Not unfriendly exactly, but not friendly. Don't be put off though as dinh y is definitely worth visiting to try traditional vietnamese vegetarian food.

Pros: local eatery, delicious food, cheap as chips
Cons: bit of a weird vibe from some staff, seem to often not have a lot of things

Report Abuse

Super cheap, fast

3 Posted on 05 / 16 / 2012

This place opens at 7 for breakfast, which is great if you want to get an early start on the day. It was an easy walk from the central backpacker area.

We ordered 5 banh mi (two for breakfast and three to go) and a beef ball vermicelli soup, and it came to under $3.50 for everything. Probably the cheapest meal we had on our trip, which is saying something. The banh mi were maybe the best we'd had on our trip, though be aware that they have a ton of cilantro and garlic in them.

Zero English is spoken, but most of the menu items have translations. We tried to order a couple of different kinds of banh mi (three were listed on the menu), but were told that only one type was available.

Food came so fast that my noodles weren't completely soft when the bowl made it to the table (they softened up in a couple of minutes).

The staff weren't particularly friendly, but weren't unfriendly either, just a little brusque.

Pros: CHEAP, Convenient location
Cons: No ambience, Brusque staff

Report Abuse

Ok if you like Mock meat!

3 Posted on 04 / 25 / 2012

The food was ok. I'm not that positive about mock meat generally, but for those who trust it, go for it!
I haven't had the chance to have fresh spring rolls that day as I ate there around 3pm, they have a different menu from 3pm, different one for lunchtime, the menu is a bit confusing, not easy to read, but if you take your time and make it clear that you are deciding to the waiter, as he will stay next to you until you make a decision (slightly pressurising!) unless it's super busy... The food tasted good, overall. Not too much sugar in sauces, which, believe me, is a rare thing in Saigon.... It felt generally healthy eating there...
Careful, if you order a juice though, they add sugar to all drinks in Vietnam, you need to say you do not want sugar in everything... and they added some in Dinh Y, so beware! (why would you add sugar in an orange juice, I ask you?)
Also, you're better off arriving there with clean hands as the toilet area in there is absolutely repulsive.

Pros: ok food, not as sugary as other places, relatively healthy-ish
Cons: Dodgy toilets and sink to wash hands, Staff a bit unfriendly

Report Abuse

Medium

2 Posted on 04 / 07 / 2009

Not sure about this place really. It is ok. Staff friendly, cool place,a bit like a retro staff canteen, but we didn't think the food was up to much. One dish noodles were undercooked, another just tasted odd, too many ingredients, too much going on.

They do do really tasty snacks on the stall outside though. There are small bags of some squishy pink things dotted with pepper which come with bits of basil, no idea what they actually are, but it's maybe worth a trip just to try them.

Pros: good snacks, big portions
Cons: not the best noodle soup, slightly more expensive than normal

Report Abuse

nothing special, but worth a look

3 Posted on 12 / 30 / 2008

easy to find: opposite the markets. Nothing out of the ordinary (as is most food in Saigon it seems). cheap and cheerful. I think much of the take-away food in the servery in the entrance alley looked better than what we ordered off the menu!

Report Abuse

Good place for cheap food.

4 Posted on 06 / 05 / 2008

i had difficulties finding the place, but it was worth searching.
they have changing daily menues, what i liked most off it.
check it out, if you're arround their hood.

Pros: very central, changing menues, friendly

Report Abuse

Simple nutritious food- low priced - sweet people

4 Posted on 05 / 17 / 2007

Visit regularly when you are in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Landmark (1) the "Blind Massage Institute" - Dinh Y is just to your left as you face the entrance. Landmark (2) Nguyen Thai Binh market - Dinh Y is opposite the back side of the open air market. Run by "Cao Dai" people (ref. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cao_Dai or any books on Kim Phuc "the girl in the picture" to know about Cao Daism)- low, low prices - if you do not speak the language just point to what you like on the buffet counter. Super friendly staff. So many students from poor families especially from the South of Viet Nam rely on Dinh Y for their sustenance. Select your food & eat in peace - no trips - no hassles - no "booksellers". Reminds me a little of Hare Krishna Sunday Feast program's in the 70's - perhaps they will inspire / produce another "Steve Jobs"!

Pros: Good & clean food, Low, low prices, No hustlers / no beggars
Cons: MSG in the sauces

Report Abuse

OK

3 Posted on 05 / 04 / 2007

It is situated within the walking distance from the centre of backpackers' area.
i like the coffee, not as strong but a bit too sweet. The asparagus was not the green asparagus that i expected, but the kind of white bamboo root.
Spring roll serves after 5pm.
This was the cheapest meal i got when i was in Saigon.

Pros: Cheap, Friendly staff
Cons: Cleanliness